Rubber heel.



UNITED STATES Patented August 18, 1903.

PATENT EEIoE.

'FRANK M. HILTON, JOHN S. HILTON, AND WILLIAM \V. HILTON, OF AKRON,

OHIO, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-HALF TO CHARLES R. GRANT, OF AKRON, OHIO.

RUBBER HEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 736,394, dated August18, 1903. Application filed June 12,1902. Serial No. 111,361. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK M. HILTON, JOHN S. HILTON, and WILLIAM W;HILTON, citizens of the United States, residing at Akron, in the countyof Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rubber Heels, of which tween layers or plies of rubbercomprising the heel, said frame having a cross-piece and cornerextensions, the latter being bent to confine the corner portions of theheel.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and alsoto acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means forefiecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic fea-' tures of the invention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure1 is a perspective view of a rubber heel embodying the invention, partsbeing broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan View, a

portion being broken away to expose the embedded metal frame. Fig. 3 isa section about on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofa modification, the upper portion of the 'heel being broken away toexpose the metal frame.

Oorresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The heel 1 may be of any size or form, according to the style of boot orshoe for which it is designed,and may be solid or 1aminated,and

tion of the boot or shoe is made concave or depressed to conform to theconvexity of the heel portion. of the shoe, so as to insure a close fitbetween the rubber heel and the corresponding part of the shoe when theheel is fixed thereto.

The metal frame 2, embedded in the heell, is approximately of D form,corresponding to the outline of the heel, and may be stamped from heavysheet-iron or thin sheet-steel or formed in any desired manner. Thisframe is embedded in the heel 1 and is provided at intervals-in itslength with openings 3 for the reception of nails or other fasteningsemployed for attaching the heel to the shoe. A brace extends across thespace circumscribed by the frame and may be of X form, as shown at at inFig. 2, or may be a straight bar, as shown at 5 in Fig. 4. The center ofthe brace is perforated to receive fastenings, whereby the centralportion of the heel is confined to the shoe, thereby preventing suctionwhen the heel is in service, and which feature is objectionable, sinceit draws moisture and foreign matter into the space between the heel andshoe, to the inconvenience and annoyance of the wearer, the resultantdampness keeping the feet cold and wet. suction is wholly obviated bythe present invention. Hence moisture is excluded from between the heeland shoe, and no foreign matter, such as mud and sand, can find .its waybetween the heel and shoe. The corners of the metal frame are extended,as shown at 6, so as to support the corners of the rubber heel and holdthem close against the shoe, These corner extensions 6 are bent upwardlyslightly, so as to confine the corner portions of the heel against thesole of the shoe when the heel is properly attached thereto;

The metal frame 2 may bemolded into the heel or embedded therein in anymanner, according to the method employedof forming the heel. In theevent of the heel being a composite structure and built up of layers,plies, or laminae, the metal frame is confined between adjacent layersand the layers or This laminae vulcanized, so as to produce asubstantial article.

The heel is placed upon the market in different sizes and shapes and isaffixed to the shoe by driving suitable fastenings through the heel andthe openings 3 of the metal frame, the heads of the fastenings coming incontact with the said frame and holding the heel in place. The nails maybe of the clencher type, or screw-fastenings may be employed forattachment of the heel to the shoe.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In adevice of the character described, a rubber heel, a metal frame ofapproximately D form entirely embedded therein, a brace extending acrossthe space circumscribed by the frame, an opening in the center of saidbrace adapted to receive a fastening where- FRANK M. HILTON. [L. s.]JOHN S. HILTON. [L. s] WILLIAM W. HILTON. [L. s.]

\Vitnesses:

G. W. GRIDLEY,

NATHAN MORSE.

